Operational carbon impact of integrating alternative cooling systems and renewables in arid homes

Energy consumption of the construction industry, buildings operation, and human behavior have led to global issues such as climate change, air pollution, water and energy mismanagement, material misuse, and high waste volumes. Unfortunately, these problems are expected to worsen with the spread of urbanization and industrialization continued. However, the global is aiming to improve the built environment while achieving neutral or zero environmental impacts in energy and water use, waste generation, and carbon emissions. In the path of this purpose, this study focuses on affordable single-family homes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (KSA). It reveals the operational carbon impact of integrating alternative cooling systems and renewable technologies into these types of residential buildings. The study also identifies the benefits for residents, the government, and the country, which reduce worldwide environmental damage leading to neutral or zero environmental impacts.

The findings of this work indicated a positive outlook on using alternative cooling systems for residential homes. For example, with some modifications, a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system offers annual electricity consumption savings ranging from 28% to 51% compared to the mini-split system. Furthermore, the results of the analysis show significant positive environmental impacts. The model with a highly efficient VRF system, lighting, and building envelope produces 13 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, which is a 50% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the mini-split/baseline system, and can reach zero emissions by incorporating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.